Cipla has appointed Srishti Surve as Senior Brand Manager in Mumbai, bringing her extensive experience in pharma marketing, brand strategy and portfolio management. With prior roles at Alkem Laboratories, IJCP Group, Thyrocare and Herbalife, Surve is set to drive impactful brand initiatives and market growth at the company.
Srishti Surve’s appointment as Senior Brand Manager at Cipla in Mumbai comes at a time when the pharmaceutical industry in India is undergoing a subtle but significant shift in how brands communicate value, build trust and engage increasingly informed stakeholders. With heightened competition, tighter regulatory scrutiny and a growing emphasis on patient-centricity, Cipla’s decision to strengthen its brand leadership underscores the importance of strategic marketing talent that understands both science and storytelling.
In her current role at Cipla, Surve brings with her a strong grounding in pharmaceutical marketing, brand strategy and portfolio management. Her professional journey reflects a steady progression through roles that demand not just commercial acumen, but also an ability to align medical credibility with market realities. At Cipla, she is expected to contribute to building resilient brands in a complex therapeutic landscape, where differentiation is driven as much by evidence and outcomes as by communication and engagement.
Surve’s experience within the pharmaceutical sector spans several key functions, giving her a holistic view of how brands evolve from concept to market leadership. Before joining Cipla, she held the position of Senior Product Manager at Alkem Laboratories Ltd., one of India’s leading pharmaceutical companies. In that role, she was involved in managing brands across competitive categories, working closely with cross-functional teams that included sales, medical affairs and regulatory stakeholders. Her responsibilities extended beyond conventional product management to include lifecycle planning, market expansion strategies and response planning in fast-changing therapeutic segments.
Her tenure at Alkem is widely seen as a formative phase in her career, where she honed her ability to balance strategic planning with execution on the ground. In an industry where product success often depends on nuanced understanding of physician behaviour, patient needs and evolving treatment protocols, Surve’s work focused on translating clinical strengths into compelling brand propositions. Colleagues from that phase describe her as detail-oriented yet adaptable, able to respond quickly to market feedback without losing sight of long-term brand objectives.
Prior to Alkem, Surve served as Senior Business Manager at IJCP Group, a role that significantly broadened her exposure to integrated communication strategies within healthcare. At IJCP, she led large-scale pharmaceutical marketing programmes that spanned publications, continuing medical education initiatives, conferences and digital platforms. This experience placed her at the intersection of content, education and engagement, reinforcing the importance of credible information dissemination in shaping brand perception within the medical community.
Her work at IJCP also coincided with a period when digital innovation was beginning to reshape pharma communication in India. As face-to-face interactions were supplemented by online platforms, webinars and digital content, Surve was involved in designing and executing hybrid engagement models that maintained scientific rigour while embracing new formats. This ability to navigate both traditional and digital ecosystems is particularly relevant in today’s environment, where omnichannel strategies are no longer optional but essential.
Earlier in her career, Surve built a strong foundation through stints at Thyrocare Technologies Ltd., MEYER ORGANICS PVT. LTD. and Herbalife. These roles exposed her to diverse facets of healthcare and wellness marketing, from diagnostics and prescription drugs to nutrition and lifestyle products. Working across these segments allowed her to develop a nuanced understanding of consumer behaviour, sales dynamics and stakeholder engagement across the healthcare continuum.
At Thyrocare, a diagnostics-led organisation known for its direct-to-consumer approach, Surve gained insight into how pricing, accessibility and brand trust influence healthcare choices. This experience complemented her later work in prescription-driven environments, where decision-making is mediated by healthcare professionals. Her time at Meyer Organics further strengthened her understanding of the Indian pharmaceutical distribution network and the importance of building strong relationships with field forces. Meanwhile, her association with Herbalife introduced her to wellness marketing, where community engagement and brand advocacy play a central role.
Together, these experiences have shaped Surve into a marketing professional with a broad yet integrated perspective on healthcare branding. Her career trajectory reflects a consistent focus on building brands that are not only commercially successful but also grounded in credibility and relevance. This alignment is particularly significant at Cipla, a company with a long-standing reputation for ethical practices, patient access and public health impact.
Cipla’s brand legacy places unique demands on its marketing leadership. Unlike consumer goods brands, pharmaceutical brands operate within a framework where trust, compliance and clinical value are paramount. At the same time, competition within therapeutic categories requires sharp positioning and continuous engagement with doctors, patients and other stakeholders. Surve’s appointment signals Cipla’s intent to invest in leadership that can navigate these dual imperatives.
Industry observers note that the role of a Senior Brand Manager in today’s pharmaceutical landscape has expanded considerably. Beyond managing individual brands, the position often involves portfolio-level thinking, alignment with corporate strategy and responsiveness to policy and market changes. With increasing focus on chronic therapies, preventive care and patient education, brand managers are expected to contribute to long-term value creation rather than short-term sales spikes.
Surve’s background in portfolio management and integrated communication places her well to address these expectations. Her exposure to content-driven platforms such as CMEs and medical publications suggests a strong appreciation for education-led marketing, an approach that resonates with Cipla’s emphasis on scientific engagement. At the same time, her experience with digital innovations aligns with the industry’s push towards data-driven and technology-enabled marketing models.
Her appointment also reflects broader trends in talent movement within the pharmaceutical sector, where companies are increasingly seeking leaders with cross-functional and cross-sector experience. As the boundaries between pharma, diagnostics and wellness blur, professionals who can think beyond silos are in demand. Surve’s career, spanning multiple segments of healthcare, positions her as part of this emerging cadre of integrated marketing leaders.
While specific brand responsibilities at Cipla have not been detailed, her role is likely to involve close collaboration with sales teams, medical advisors and senior leadership to ensure cohesive brand strategies. The emphasis on market growth and impactful brand initiatives suggests a mandate that goes beyond maintenance, focusing instead on expansion, innovation and sustained relevance.
As Cipla continues to strengthen its presence across domestic and international markets, leadership appointments such as Surve’s highlight the company’s recognition that brand strategy remains central to competitive advantage. In an industry driven by innovation pipelines and regulatory milestones, effective branding ensures that scientific advances translate into real-world impact.
For Srishti Surve, the move to Cipla represents both a professional milestone and a new challenge. Joining a company with a strong heritage and global footprint offers an opportunity to apply her accumulated experience at a larger scale. As she steps into her role as Senior Brand Manager, her journey reflects the evolving profile of pharmaceutical marketing leaders in India: professionals who combine strategic insight, operational experience and a deep understanding of healthcare ecosystems.
In the months ahead, her contributions will be watched closely by peers in the industry, not just as an individual appointment but as an indicator of how leading pharmaceutical companies are shaping their brand leadership for the future.
Discover more from Creative Brands
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
